Avoid THIS when using lists in Blender Python

Learn how to avoid a common mistake when using lists in Blender Python. Discover why iterating over a live list can cause unexpected issues and how to fix it easily.
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Hi there! 👋 I'm Mike, and I'm relatively new to RUclips. I've been teaching Blender professionally for over 10 years, and I'm excited to share my knowledge with the community here. On this channel, you'll find full guides, courses, and tools to help guide, reassure, and educate you on your Blender journey. Let's create something amazing together!
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When I first encountered this issue in Blender, I thought I had found a bug. However, I quickly realized it was a simple mistake in my approach to working with lists in Python. I want to share this with you because it's something you might easily run into when using Python in Blender.
First, I demonstrate a piece of code where we add five monkeys to the scene and name them sequentially. The code seems straightforward at first glance, but I then introduce an alternative method that doesn't work as expected. Running this incorrect code results in unexpected naming patterns, and it took me a while to understand why.
The problem lies in how the list of objects is handled during iteration. Modifying the list while looping over it causes Blender to produce unpredictable results. This happens because the list changes dynamically, leading to multiple iterations and incorrect outputs.
To fix this, we need to create a copy of the list before iterating. By working with this copy, the original list remains unchanged, and the code functions as intended. After making this adjustment, the code runs correctly, and the objects are named as desired.
This experience was a valuable lesson in understanding list operations in Python within Blender. I hope this explanation helps you avoid the same pitfall. See you in the next video!